Margie Maccoll
Noosa Surf Lifesaving Club ended its patrolling season on Monday, marking the occasion with a breakfast last Friday to thank sponsors for their vital support and celebrate 94 years without a life lost between the flags on their beaches.
As they enjoyed a delicious surf club breakfast, guests heard from speakers including club president Ross Fisher who talked about a remarkable rescue by lifesaver Jessie Lloyd-Stewart, Gerard O’Brien who provided an update on the Peregian Beach surf club and Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien who talked about Cherbourg and the club’s help in increasing community positivity.
On 7 February Jessie Lloyd Stewart was surfing at Little Cove when she chanced to glance up at the rocks and noticed a large man who had fallen over.
She rushed over to find him drifting in and out of consciousness, his face in the water and the tide coming in.
A rescue ensued involving other lifesavers, paramedics and QFES. Jessie is to receive a rescue medal from SLSA for her efforts.
Mr O’Brien thanked Noosa surf club for funding and sustaining Peregian Beach life saving for the past eight years.
He told the group Peregian Beach Surf Life Saving Club had now reached several milestones in its recovery with legal entities established, boards appointed, and a long term lease obtained from Noosa Council.
“We are just now at the starting line and the hard work can begin,“ he said.
Mr O’Brien said the club had secured the volunteer services of John Roderick from Coolum club and the supporters club had raised options for an income stream in addition of running the Peregian Markets.
As well as engaging about 200 nippers in its program, Peregian Beach now has 20-30 local life savers which will be supplemented with 40 Noosa Heads life savers.
Noosa has also agreed to donate a significant amount of equipment to the club.
“It’s a fantastic foundation on which to build,“ Mr O’Brien said.
In his talk, Mr O’Brien told how the restrictions and isolation resulting from the impact of Covid had increased the suicide rate among the Aboriginal community of Cherbourg to be “alarmingly high“. “The primary school kids were taking dolls out to the sand pit and burying them – they saw so much of it,“ he said.
Mr O’Brien said a lot of people had been helping including the surf club which was running a swim club at school.
“You added positivity where there’s stress,“ he said.
“Thank you.“
